Let The Games Begin
Connor Curran
Age: 21
Specialty: Men's Freestyle Aerials
Trained for four years with a trampoline and tumbling team in Cincinnati, building the foundation for his aerial skiing career
Moved to the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York, at age 13, then relocated to Park City at 15 to continue his Olympic pursuit
For the Cincinnati region, the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics isn’t just a global sporting spectacle — it’s a hometown celebration. Three elite athletes with local ties have earned their places on Team USA’s roster: Connor Curran and Quinn Dehlinger, both aerials specialists from Cincinnati, and Nick Goepper, a veteran freestyle skier from Lawrenceburg.
Quinn Dehlinger
Age: 23
Specialty: Men's Freestyle Aerials
Hobbies include skiing, mountain biking, watching movies, playing video games and fishing
Dehlinger started doing jumps and rails when he was just 10
Connor Curran’s rise to the Olympic stage began long before the spotlight of global competition. Born and raised in Cincinnati, he discovered aerials skiing — a discipline that blends acrobatic skills with fearless skiing — during a family visit to Utah Olympic Park as a young child. Captivated by the dramatic flips and twists athletes executed high above the snow, Curran dove head-first into the sport.
Curran’s early training combined gymnastics-like skills with ski technique. In Cincinnati he honed his air awareness on a trampoline and tumbling team for years, laying a foundation that would later translate to world-class aerial maneuvers. Recognizing his potential, the U.S. Ski Team brought Curran into elite development at age 13, prompting a move first to the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid and later to Park City, Utah.
Nick Goepper
Age: 31
Specialty:Halfpipe
Began skiing at age 5 and started competing by 11
3-time Olympian and 3-time Olympic medalist (2 silver, 1 bronze)
In the competitive world cup circuit, Curran steadily climbed, marking his debut season with significant milestones: his first top-10, first finals, and breakthrough podium at Deer Valley in 2024. A U.S. national title and strong performances at World Championships secured his spot on the Olympic team.
Quinn Dehlinger’s journey parallels Curran’s but carries its own unique flair. Also from Cincinnati, Dehlinger found his love for skiing on local slopes like Perfect North Slopes before transitioning to elite aerials training. Scouted in his early teens, he quickly moved into competitive freestyle skiing and by his late teens had earned a place on the U.S. Ski Team.
A dynamic competitor with a flair for complex tricks, Dehlinger rapidly became one of the world’s top aerialists. His resume includes multiple world championship medals — both in individual aerials and mixed team events — and a top-three ranking that secured his early qualification for the 2026 Games.
Across the region, Nick Goepper stands as one of the most decorated and inspiring figures in American freestyle skiing. The Lawrenceburg native first burst onto the Olympic scene in 2014 with a bronze medal in slopestyle. He went on to win silver medals at both the 2018 and 2022 Games, making him one of the most consistent performers in his sport.
After briefly stepping away from competition, Goepper made a bold transition from slopestyle to halfpipe skiing — a move few elite athletes attempt in their 30s. He quickly found success, including a World Championships silver in halfpipe and victories on the X Games and World Cup circuits, proving he still belongs among the sport’s best.
Now heading to his fourth Olympic Games, Goepper aims to extend a storied career and perhaps become the first American to medal in an individual event across four different Winter Olympics.
– Betsy Ross